Whatever your adoption preferences are, you will need to complete a home study or family study.
The Home Study
A home study involves education, preparation, and information-gathering about the prospective adoptive parents. This process can take from two to 10 months to complete, depending on agency waiting lists and training requirements. States vary regarding home study requirements. Check with your state adoption specialist to learn about your state's specific regulations.
You can get information about the home study process online.
What Next?
Once your home study is completed, you are ready to begin the placement process – the time when a specific child is identified for your family. Depending on the type of adoption you are pursuing, this process and the potential time involved in waiting for your child vary greatly. You might need to or want to meet with the birth parents before making a decision.
- If you are pursuing an independent adoption, an attorney or facilitator will help you identify expectant parents. Or you can locate them on your own if allowed by state law.
- If you are using a licensed private agency to pursue a domestic infant adoption, the expectant parents could select your family from among several prospective adoptive families.
- In the case of foster care adoption or out-of-country adoption of older children, you might review information about a number of children who are waiting for families. In foster care adoption, you will often have the opportunity for pre-placement visits, to get to know a child before he or she moves into your home. Also, many foster parents in the United States adopt the foster children in their homes when the children become available for adoption.
- If you are adopting an infant internationally, you might receive a referral during this time.
The Last Step – Almost
All adoptions must be finalized in court, although the process varies from state to state. Usually a child lives with the adoptive family for at least six months before the adoption is legally finalized. During this time, a social worker will visit several times to insure that the child is well cared for and to write up the required court reports. After this period, the agency or attorney (in the case of independent adoption) will submit a written recommendation of approval of the adoption to the court, and you or your attorney can then file with the court to complete the adoption.
For intercountry adoptions, finalization depends on the type of visa the child has and the laws in your state. The actual adoption procedure is just one of a series of legal processes required for intercountry adoption.
Parenting
Of course, the final step is parenting your adopted child. This is a lifelong process. You might want or need support to help you and your child adjust to this new life situation.
You can get support and assistance from adoptive parent support groups in many communities, classes at community colleges or social agencies, and from social workers or counselors. |
